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Show ) by JOANNE HINKEL Kjm High Desert Vineyard o 'A. They call it the heartbreak wine. They say its temperamental, fickle. It's Pinot Noir or red Burgundy, a medium-bodie- d, delicate wine that is the che of The Pinoc France. of Noir Burgundy region specialty grape is so difficult to grow that its seldom grown anywhere else. So why would a small, family-owne- d winery in Idaho's high desert choose it for their signature wine? Perhaps because southwestern Idaho is at the same latitude as Frances Burgundy region the 44th parallel. Idaho has a fantastic growing season long, sunny days and cool nights. Its perfect for cool climate grapes like the Pinot Noir," says Bill Stowe, 62, wiry owner of the William Neville Stowe Winery, commonly known as Indian Creek Winery, outside the small town of Kuna, Idaho (pop. 5,382). When I started, I didnt realize the Pinot Noir was a difficult grape, Stowe says. All I knew was that it should do well here, given my growing conditions. I looked at 1 5 years of weather records here and then chose my grapes. Its the most difficult red grape because it isnt at all forgiving. Its flavor reflects the most subtle cultural variations, from year to year or even from one side of the hill to the other. nM,cnjigrs coupon o Germs can live where you live. SAVE75C .fit Indian Creeks Stowe rarely makes a wine that doesnt win a medal. Unforgiving could describe Idaho and its cold winters. 1 had three bad years, when 1 lost all my grapes. It hit minus 30 degrees in 1991," admits Stowe. But most years, the winters are pretty mild. According to the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission (IGGWPC), a cold period is actually an advantage, killing plant pests and diseases and allowing the vines to take a winter rest. It also adjusts my inventory, Stowe adds wryly. n nights help maintain grape During the growing season, Idaho's cool, for flavor. an element This provides a perfect balance with crisp acidity important grape sugars, which also stay high thanks to warm days and a dry climate requiring controlled irrigation. Production areas with warmer nights or rains have balance. more difficulty maintaining a good Idaho's growing wine industry includes 1 1 wineries and more than 1,500 acres of vineyards. But no other winery approaches Stowes level of success with Pinot Noir. "I think its the soil, he says. My soil is different than the other vineyards in Idaho, high-dese- even those only 10 miles from here. Most vineyards in Idaho are on sandy loam underlaid with volcanic ash. In contrast, the Indian Creek vineyards are rooted in silt loam supported by lava rock and I caliche (a hard mineral layer.) I While this meant Stowe had extra prepa- ration work prior to planting he dug The temperamental Pinot Noir grape. the site 36 inches t0 ensure equate and natdrainage it also means his grapes grow in soil that is urally high in nutrients. In fact, he irrigates just twice a season despite an average annual rainfall of less than 10 inches. Stowe, a retired Air Force major who grew up in Idaho, first became interested in wines when he was stationed in the Saar wine region erf" Germany, near the French border, in the 1960s. Back in the States years later, with his wife, Mui, and their three ffe j. water-retenti- LYSQL kills 99.9 of cold germs in your &ZU home. :;E "Sr' Kn; ' 222 ( children, he began looking for acreage for a vineyard. They found the perfect site on this southwest-facin- g slope and started planting in 1982. The winery opened in 1987. Indian Creek Winery usually produces five wines each year, totaling about 3,000 fa Nfad l,--?J toa faa pnfat Hi fa mm- facawfaXU cases. White Pinots, or blushes, are the most popular. Stowes red Pinots won gold medals in national competitions in 1988, 1994, and 1996. He also makes Rieslings, Chardonnays, Cabernets, and an occasional Gewurztraminer. Bill's expertise in wine and grapes is second to none in Idaho," says Bob Corbell, IGGWPC executive director. Every new winery that gets started, they come talk to Bill. Hes done a lot of experimenting over the years, but one things never changed. Hes always made good wine. artdTnronSition, pji vMusHmbMun: 02001 artttT Bytfunrjnfc Joanne Hinkel is a freelance uriter from Boise, Idaho. |